Irene Animal Rescue

On Tuesday I received a call from the ASPCA’s disaster response team asking if we could send any personnel to assist with animal rescue in Schoharie County. I committed to sending four people in two vehicles to assist in any way we could. We started stocking our vans with crates, food and other supplies to bring with us. Early the next morning, we set out for the command center at the Schoharie County Fairgrounds.

The Fairgrounds is serving as the base of operations for all sorts of response to the disaster. There were trailers from FEMA, the State Emergency Management Office, National Guard and a variety of local and regional responders. One area was set aside for animal response teams. We checked in and were sent to Middleburgh where National Guard members had reported seeing and hearing about multiple issues with animals.

Driving in on I-88 the countryside looked as quiet and beautiful as ever, it wasn’t until we got close to Middleburgh and the Schoharie Creek that we saw the devastation that Irene brought. In the flood ravaged downtowns of Middleburgh and Schoharie, water came right up the street bringing mud and debris with it. It seemed like every piece of furniture and personal belonging in town had been brought out into the street while pumps cleared remaining water out of houses and businesses.

Our first stop was the fire station where an emergency operations command was set up. They didn’t have lists of people with animal issues, but I left my cell phone number and started out into town. We stopped at the only local vet clinic to let them know we were there and available, they offered to help with any injured animals we found. While there we received a call from a woman who had seen our vans driving through town and got my phone number from the fire station. It was clear that there were people needing help with animals, but just didn’t know where to turn. Her mother’s home had been destroyed and she needed help with her cats.

We met her and followed her out to her mother’s farm just outside of town and were once again shocked by what we saw. One of the oldest farms in the area had been nearly wiped out, what was once a large front lawn, was now dirt and rock, the top several feet of topsoil had been washed away. Outbuildings had been picked up and pushed into the barns. An above ground pool that used to sit on the lawn was nowhere to be found. The woman who lived in the house had not been warned to evacuate and found herself trapped when the waters started to rise. She gathered her cats and dogs and spent the night on the second floor. All she could do was hope that the over 150 head of cattle in the barn would make it through the night. Rescuers were unable to get to her because of the strength of the rushing water. The woman made it as did the animals she brought up stairs. Amazingly all of the cattle survived standing in 4 to 5 feet of water for most of a day and into the night.

We were there for six cats that had recently been dumped on her property and she had planned to find new homes for. We gathered up the cats and took them back to the Humane Society where they would be safe. Before leaving, we made sure she would have enough cat and dog food to take care of the animals she was keeping with her. A neighbor across the road was also keeping her dogs and was in need of food. Her house had been moved off of her foundation and appeared to be beyond repair. We sent one van back to keep the kittens in a safe place while we continued handling calls for help.

We never knew what to expect when going from one call for assistance to another, we were constantly flagged down by people who were missing pets or needed help continuing to care for the ones they were able to keep. We were the first animal rescue team these towns had seen. Many people wanted to keep their pets with them because they were the only comfort they had left and just needed food and supplies. We gave out what we had and coordinated deliveries of additional supplies through the Emergency Operations Command.

The area is a farming community so there were many calls about livestock missing or dead. Some had been swept away by the storm, some were lucky enough to be moved to higher ground just in time. All we could do was offer to arrange support with food, supplies and medication which was all being made available through the ASPCA and Petsmart.

There is so much to do, it is hard to know where to start, but little by little, progress is being made to help people and animals in the stricken area. This was only the beginning, we are really just figuring out what people need and where they are. In desperate times it is amazing to see how many people kept their chins up and got to work. They were thankful for the help they received, but also ready to take on rebuilding their community themselves. What we saw more than anything was the community come together with a determination to rebuild.

The Farm where cats and kittens were rescued

Crops were destroyed throughout the area, those still standing can not be used due to contamination

At the Emergency Command Center

How high was the water? This grill was hanging from a power line

A home destroyed

Everywhere we went the contents of homes were out on the street

The three kittens that from Schoharie who are available for adoption today: